Olympus has announced a new superzoom camera, the Olympus SP-820UZ. Not only does this camera offer 40x optical zoom, but Olympus has also made it a respectably wide 22.4mm.

So that lens gives you 22.4-896mm (in 35mm terms), beating most of the competition out there in sheer range. The Nikon Coolpix P510 offers 42x zoom, but Olympus's argument here is that its lens is wider.

We've always liked the design of the Olympus ultrazoom cameras, as the pronounced grip means you have more of a chance of avoiding shake on those mega zoom shots. Image stabilisation is also on board to help you further.

There's a 3-inch, 460k-dot, display on the rear, which is average for this type of camera.  

Avoiding the temptation to ramp up the pixels, the SP-820UZ offers a 14-megapixel CMOS sensor, but with some clever features in place. You get the regular run of Magic Filters as well as regular shooting features.

You also get high-speed shooting for action shots and super slow-motion video capture for that dog-in-puddle moment.

Controls are kept to a minimum on the body, so if you find yourself overwhelmed by buttons and controls, then this might be the camera for you.

There is a mode dial on the top, however, but if you're looking for full control over all aspects of shooting, this might not be the first choice of camera.

The Olympus SP-820UZ will be available from late October and cost £279.99.